Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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293. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the procedures in place that allow a member of the public to object to a barrister being appointed as a judge. [61436/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that there are no procedures in place currently that allow a member of the public to object to a barrister being appointed as a judge. However, the Deputy will be aware that the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022 was published on 8 April 2022, taking into account the outcome both of widespread consultations and key aspects of a comprehensive pre-legislative scrutiny report prepared by an Oireachtas Committee.

This represents an important step forward in the reform of the judicial appointments process, as committed to in Justice Plan 2022. I look forward to working with all members of the Houses of the Oireachtas to bring this legislation to enactment.

I might also add that the first point of contact for new complaints in relation to the professional conduct of solicitors and barristers is the Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA), which is the independent regulator for the provision of legal services in the State under the relevant terms of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015. The separate and independent Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Tribunal deals with those serious allegations of professional misconduct by solicitors or barristers referred to it by the Authority.